vmi1983 wrote:I have 5" diameter standard hardware store stove pipe about 8' long from the flue connected from the Godin to 5-6" connector and then to 6" chimney double walled.

IF I SWITCH TO 6" STOVE PIPE, WILL THE LARGER DIAMETER PIPE LEADING FROM THE STOVE AND CONNECTING TO THE CHIMNEY, COULD THIS SLOW THE DRAFT SOMEWHAT? THE 5" HAS AN AREA OF 25 INCHES, THE 6" IS 36 ... THE HEAT WOULD TRAVEL UP A PIPE 44% LARGER IN DIAMETER WHICH WOULD LEAD ME TO BELIEVETHERE WOULD BE LESS VELOCITY, RIGHT?

Yes, a larger diameter pipe will slow the draft. Problem is on warmer days you draft will be slower due to the warmer temperatures. On those days you might need the draft generated by the 5" pipe to get a good burn going.

I use the MPD to control my draft. Before I open the ash door I throw a load of coal on top of the fire. The extra heat caused by the open access door helps light the new coal. The new coal absorbs a lot of the extra heat getting warmed up and started. The weight of the new coal also helps push the ash down towards the grate.

How many extremely cold days do you have? Will it be worth the problems on the warmer days that a 6" pipe might cause?

I would work with what you have first, use the damper and cold coal to control the heat. If it really doesn't work you could try a baro damper. I would only change the pipe size if I ALWAYS had too much draft.

Every install is different, you have to figure out what is best for your situation.

KaptJaq

We have quite a few weeks of frigid weather, but the warmer days far out weigh the colder. I've loaded fresh coal and did a clean out, but the MPD was open the stove pipe went to 600 to 500f and the fire was roaring! I've seen the high temp silicone seal melt away. I've been cleaning the stove quickly and dumping a fresh load on top of the fire which cools the fire, and I always have to keep the MPD closed. I keep observing, and make notes as the weather warms. This week forecast is highs in the upper 30'swith lows in the 20s and teens....right now the outside temp is 38F and the house is toasty...

vmi1983 wrote:I have 5" diameter standard hardware store stove pipe about 8' long from the flue connected from the Godin to 5-6" connector and then to 6" chimney double walled.

IF I SWITCH TO 6" STOVE PIPE, WILL THE LARGER DIAMETER PIPE LEADING FROM THE STOVE AND CONNECTING TO THE CHIMNEY, COULD THIS SLOW THE DRAFT SOMEWHAT? THE 5" HAS AN AREA OF 25 INCHES, THE 6" IS 36 ... THE HEAT WOULD TRAVEL UP A PIPE 44% LARGER IN DIAMETER WHICH WOULD LEAD ME TO BELIEVETHERE WOULD BE LESS VELOCITY, RIGHT?

Yes, a larger diameter pipe will slow the draft. Problem is on warmer days you draft will be slower due to the warmer temperatures. On those days you might need the draft generated by the 5" pipe to get a good burn going.

I use the MPD to control my draft. Before I open the ash door I throw a load of coal on top of the fire. The extra heat caused by the open access door helps light the new coal. The new coal absorbs a lot of the extra heat getting warmed up and started. The weight of the new coal also helps push the ash down towards the grate.

How many extremely cold days do you have? Will it be worth the problems on the warmer days that a 6" pipe might cause?

I would work with what you have first, use the damper and cold coal to control the heat. If it really doesn't work you could try a baro damper. I would only change the pipe size if I ALWAYS had too much draft.

Every install is different, you have to figure out what is best for your situation.

KaptJaq

We have quite a few weeks of frigid weather, but the warmer days far out weigh the colder. I've loaded fresh coal and did a clean out, but the MPD was open the stove pipe went to 600 to 500f and the fire was roaring! I've seen the high temp silicone seal melt away. I've been cleaning the stove quickly and dumping a fresh load on top of the fire which cools the fire, and I always have to keep the MPD closed. I keep observing, and make notes as the weather warms. This week forecast is highs in the upper 30'swith lows in the 20s and teens....right now the outside temp is 38F and the house is toasty...

Thanks for your help Kaptjaq!

Thanks Kapt, been loading her up with fresh coal and then removing the ash. The ash bed is finally stabilized. Godin is running well in the warmer temps (high thirty ), 1/2 turn, MPD still closed. Your right, the 5" pipe had nothing to do with the problem. The problem, as is mostly the case, is operator-related, i.g., me!

A few days back, as a result of not loading fresh fuel on top of the coal bed BEFORE clean out, too much air caused the coal to heat up and form too many gnarly clinkers.Removing the clinkers is a chore, I had to break them into small pieces and drag the through the front grill. I finally completed the process today. Above the clinkers isthe soft cake ash. To the rear of the grate, nice fine ash was brought forward using the tool. I'll shake down the ash every now and again

Using my Vigilant, I always load fresh coal and shake it down w/the damper open, on the Godin, I'll continue to do load fresh coal but keep the damper closed.

There's a strong wind out of the north, tonight the temps will drop back to 22F plus the wind.

I have double walled insulated pipe on the Vigilant, I decided to go with 5" single wall pipe on the Godin. It's high quality pipe made in Canada, (I am told).I don't get a temp reading on the Vigilant pipe, but on the single wall pipe, and say when recharging the stove, what are the stack temps you all are getting?When operating the Godin, what are your stack temps along the pipe? With the MPD open, I've measured upto 550F just above the damper one time... with the MPD closed my stove pipe is about430F at the flue exit, 300F below the MPD and about 220F just before the double insulated chimney pipe leading to the thimble.... now when I throttle back the stove, to 1/2 turn those temps are about 50F less.....

vmi1983 wrote:... what are the stack temps you all are getting?When operating the Godin, what are your stack temps along the pipe? With the MPD open, I've measured upto 550F just above the damper one time... with the MPD closed my stove pipe is about430F at the flue exit, 300F below the MPD and about 220F just before the double insulated chimney pipe leading to the thimble.... now when I throttle back the stove, to 1/2 turn those temps are about 50F less.....

Having burned the Godins for so long I rarely use the thermometer anymore. When I walk anywhere near the stove I can feel if it is running where I want it.

From memory my steady state burn temps are:Flue pipe above the MPD - 150°F to 175°FFlue pipe below the MPD - 200°F to 225°F Side of the stove barrel - 600°F to 650°FTop of the loading door - 375°F to 425°F

My steady state burn is 40-45 pounds of coal a day, or about 20kBTU/hour. This is a very comfortable rate for the stove, about half of its 37.5kBTU/hour rating. The stove has been installed since the late 70s and burned 24/7 since I bought this house in 1999. (I had a 3731 large round in another house before this one.) There are days I just barely keep it burning (about 20 pounds of coal a day) and also days I push it harder (around 60-65 pounds a day). 75% of the time I run at 20kBTU/hour and this stove, with minimal maintenance, will probably last forever.

vmi1983 wrote:... what are the stack temps you all are getting?When operating the Godin, what are your stack temps along the pipe? With the MPD open, I've measured upto 550F just above the damper one time... with the MPD closed my stove pipe is about430F at the flue exit, 300F below the MPD and about 220F just before the double insulated chimney pipe leading to the thimble.... now when I throttle back the stove, to 1/2 turn those temps are about 50F less.....

Having burned the Godins for so long I rarely use the thermometer anymore. When I walk anywhere near the stove I can feel if it is running where I want it.

From memory my steady state burn temps are:Flue pipe above the MPD - 150°F to 175°FFlue pipe below the MPD - 200°F to 225°F Side of the stove barrel - 600°F to 650°FTop of the loading door - 375°F to 425°F

My steady state burn is 40-45 pounds of coal a day, or about 20kBTU/hour. This is a very comfortable rate for the stove, about half of its 37.5kBTU/hour rating. The stove has been installed since the late 70s and burned 24/7 since I bought this house in 1999. (I had a 3731 large round in another house before this one.) There are days I just barely keep it burning (about 20 pounds of coal a day) and also days I push it harder (around 60-65 pounds a day). 75% of the time I run at 20kBTU/hour and this stove, with minimal maintenance, will probably last forever.

KaptJaq

Thank You Kapt, I appreciate the kind reply. I am grateful guys like you are here to share with me their experiences.

This week was kind of mild, but variable. Some days were very close to 40 degrees F. Used to freak me out last year when it warmed up. I'd worry about losing draft when I wasn't home.

The baro in my case has allowed me to turn the knob out some more without as much worry of overheating the stove. It's been very stable at about 650. Although sometimes after 12 hours the pipe will heat up to 250/300 in front of the baro. Once I tend and fill, it will go down to 150 and usually stays there.

I set the baro a few weeks ago and haven't touched it. Used directions to set the baro over a handfired. No manometer.

In the next 4 days the weather will be changing, some warm days at 40, and some at 25. I'll be around to keep an eye on it and am considering just adding coal in the am and then cleaning/filling in the pm and see how it fares. Depending on the results, I may be able to save time and simplify my morning routine before leaving the house without the variance of a cleanout. I believe it was you KaptJaq who said you sometimes only fill in the am and fill/shake it pm. I'm also going to try burning the stove a bit lower on the warm days.

Hey Good luck Joe on the Baro.... In the warmer weather, I still do two clean outs, just easier because I'm burning less than a scuttle a day, like 20-25 lbs. The 5" stove pipehelps provide enough draft and at 1/3 out on the inlet, I'm getting about a 400 F stove top (lately). I usually do a couple of quick shakes per day... when I'm around.

The Godin has been firing non-stop for 29 days... she'll probably go at least 61 more days before I shut her down.... mid- to late April maybe early May, all depends ..I've read this winter will be colder longer than last and the year prior.

The last four days, I throttled back the Godin to 1/3 of a turn open, yet still kept the MPD closed, except after recharging. It was nice to get a break from the frigid weatherbut that ship has sailed. The temps are dropping and I can sense it's going to get frosty once more. Weatherman says low of 2F but I think it's going lower. I just cleaned out the Godin, reloaded, and set the MPD wide open, and the air inlet is at 1/2 turn. The blue ladies arrived as expected, so I shut down the MPD and the Godinwill be kicking enough heat to keep the rear section of the home, two stories, nice and toasty which is about 1800 square feet.

The front half of the house which contains more rooms and is 2000 sq ft is being heated by the Vigilant. With both stoves kicking, I am beginning to discover it is best to run the stoves slow to moderate, but I have much more learning ahead...

More insulation is being added to the attic as funds permit, doorway registers are going in, heat flow is more efficient. I still need at least 2-3 more registers to facilitatethe air flow... there are lath and plaster walls, messy!!!

BTW, with the Godin running at low temp, 260F on top lid, shake down was super easy, as the ash was mostly powder. This means I am getting a complete burn and extendedburn times. Moral of the story for me, is keep on insulating the house, so I don't need to burn so much coal!

Well the Godin has been running steadily without a hick-up. The winter temps have been 30s high and high teens for lows... burning 40-45lbs per 24 hrs.

As mentioned, the 5" stove pipe and 16' chimney provide excellent draft to the Godin.

I have settled into a routine where I clean out the ash once per day, and also shake down the ash a couple-three times a day.

Clean out goes like this:

I recharge the stove with a thick layer of fresh coal. Do a shake, and open the door and remove much ash by raking the stuff forward, and crushing the ash thru the grate orpulling the larger chunks through the fire grill. Soon, the grate is cleared and a good size cavity remains. Remove ash pan, close fire door, dump ash outside, open fire door, insertash pan, remove ash from far rear, sides and do a shake down, and lastly, scrap the bridge until I see the orange glow. Usually, some coal will drop onto the ash base.

Now it's time to load final layer...open the MPD, and loading door, see if the fresh coal is 6" below the flue, if the coal is more than 6" below the flue, add more coal. Now it's time to leave the MPD open until the blue ladies arrive. I set the timer for 10 minutes, usually it takes 10-15 for the ladies to arrive. After that, shut the MPD and voila! She's ready to burn for another 24 hours... I load coal usually every 10 -12 hours as needed (cold weather), shake a little, open the MPD, load it and set the timer, the Godin behaves consistently.

The main section of the house has been insulated with R36 in the attic, it is a nice toasty home... the Godin air-inlet is now set at 1/2 turn open...

Since the temps are in the 40's today, the Large Round is burning slowly and at a comfortable temperature. The side temp is about 350F while top is in the 280s F. (Even the VigIIhas a top temp of 350F.) The burns are long and most of the ash is very fine.

For clean out, I still load on some fresh coal, shake the grate and empty the pan when needed, then pull the rear ash onto the grate, smash any chunks, and shake again, maybe dumpmore ash. The ash bridge usually collapses and then time to load some more fresh fuel. Since it is warm, I can keep the MPD open while cleaning out the ash.out 15 minutes laterit's about time to close the MPD.

Kaptjaq was correct, the 5" stovepipe generates a nice draft in warm weather.

The Godin is the easiest stove to run. That is, over time, I have found just how little effort is required. I heard all the nightmare tales. Honestly, I was worried the stove would be temperamental. Well it's not! Once a day I open the fire door, insert the tool, drag the ash forward on to the grate, smash the larger clumps, shut the door, and shake. The grate twist back and forth, and the larger pieces of spent fuel are carried forward to the front lip of the grate and tossed into the ash pan below. So I was told the grate sucks, that it can't crush the ash. That's true, but if the stove is firing properly, and the coal is good, the fuel will burn well, become powdery fine ash,and shake down is not an issue. The clumps are nice and soft... no issues.

Twice each day, I shake the grate, shake it until I see a red glow. I throw in a some coal, shut the hatch and carry on... I can run the stove anywhere from 400-700 but that does not tell the whole story, the stove kicks a boat-load of heat.

Well the Large Round is now working in tandem with a beautiful La Belle Epoque Stove by Godin.... that stove is a beautiful little heat monster, so I am running two Godins, both operate along the same lines, and these stoves, with the deep fire pots, allow the charges of coal to burn very efficiently.